The Thief, by Megan Whalen Turner

The talented Megan Whalen Turner is the author of The Queen’s Thief series. She gives the following bio on her website. “I graduated from The University of Chicago with a BA in English Language and Literature with honors in 1987. I worked as a bookseller for seven or eight years before I started writing. My first book was a collection of short stories called Instead of Three Wishes. My first novel was The Thief, which was awarded a Newbery Honor in 1997.”

This Newbery Honor Book has some fun twists and turns. The author, Megan Whalen Turner, takes her inspiration from Greece. While she has a pantheon similar to that of the Greek Gods, the story is woven with the myths and legends of their own world.

Here is the jacketflap description:

“I can steal anything.” After Gen’s bragging lands him in the king’s prison, the chances of escape look slim. Then the king’s scholar, the magus, needs the thief’s skill for a seemingly impossible task–to steal a hidden treasure from another land.
To the magus, Gen is just a tool. But Gen is a trickster and a survivor with a plan of his own.

The first half of this book was a bit slow for me. I had a hard time connecting with Gen because of his arrogant attitude. I did sympathize with his plight, but it wasn’t enough to keep me in suspense. The second half of this book was great! Engaging, unfolding, heroic, and unexpected. Overall, I liked it.